Rivian enters logistics, rolling out first EVs for Amazon

There is nothing new about the fact that Amazon has chosen electrification as its next area of interest. In the UK alone there have been many silent EVs covered in Amazon Prime branding to grace the roads and organisation still remains one step ahead. 

But, what is new is the supplier of its latest electric vans for its US distribution network, which can be seen as the company rolls out its first line of custom EVs from the pure-play firm Rivian. Known for its EV branded as an adventure vehicle, the Rivian R1T, the company has been developing the electric van alongside its consumer vehicle offerings. 

Same delivery service turned zero-emissions with EVs 

As the van is rolled out across the US, the initial plan is still in place to launch 10,000 vans by the end of 2022. By the end of 2030, the companies aim to have around 100,000 of the electric delivery vehicles on US roads. 

The cities to receive these vans include Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Nashville, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, and St Louis, to name the majority. With the wider roll-out of these vehicles, they can expect to be seen in every city at some point. And all of this is in aid of sustainability across the organisation as well providing a safer working environment for Amazon drivers. 

“Fighting the effects of climate change requires constant innovation and action, and Amazon is partnering with companies who share our passion for inventing new ways to minimise our impact on the environment,” says Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon. 

“Rivian has been an excellent partner in that mission, and we’re excited to see our first custom electric delivery vehicles on the road.”

“Today marks a significant milestone in our Climate Pledge commitment. Rivian was one of the first companies Amazon invested in through the Climate Pledge Fund, and we’re just getting started on our journey to have 100,000 of Rivian’s vehicles on the road by 2030.”

Why is Rivian the partner of choice? 

The fairly young automotive manufacturer has received a lot of interest for its EV offerings. Following a rocky start to the business, Rivian recorded production figures for the second quarter of 2022 totalling 4,401 battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), which amounts to a 72% increase in comparison to the first quarter. While the organisation doesn’t disclose specific quantities for each vehicle model, the company is sure to make a significant amount of progress through its partnership with Amazon. 

Not only does Rivian supply fleet vehicles with state-of-the-art technology, but also provides a solution to manage each van. Rivian FleetOS is the advanced fleet management system that allows customers, like Amazon, to automate and optimise their fleet operations with cost-saving and time management benefits. 

The company’s CEO, RJ Scaringe says: 

“Today represents an important step, not just for Amazon and Rivian as partners, but also for transportation and the environment.”

He continues: “In 2019, Rivian and Amazon committed to fast-tracking a new type of delivery vehicle that would result in a significant reduction of carbon emissions. Thanks to our teams’ dedication, hard work and collaboration, and a shared commitment to make the world a better place for our kids’ kids, that vision is now being realised. To say this is an exciting moment is an understatement—we’re thrilled to see this partnership has kickstarted decarbonization projects across the logistics delivery industry.”